SCOTTISH Labour have been criticised after U-turning on their opposition to post-Brexit laws which have been branded an “unwarranted attack on devolution” by their own colleagues.
Not one MSP from Anas Sarwar’s Scottish Labour group supported calls for the Internal Market Act to be repealed after a debate in Holyrood on Wednesday – despite Sarwar himself having opposed the legislation less than 18 months ago.
The SNP said it showed Labour MSPs had allowed “their principles to be trampled on by their Westminster bosses yet again”.
MSPs at Holyrood had been asked to support Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes’s motion calling on the Labour Government to repeal the Internal Market Act, which was brought in by the Conservatives.
The controversial legislation – which experts say limits the exercise of devolved powers – had been opposed by Sarwar and the Scottish Labour group in more than one previous vote.
In October 2023, Scottish Labour MSPs backed a motion explicitly calling for the repeal of the Internal Market Act because it had “undermine[d] democratic decisions of the devolved legislatures … to the detriment of the people of Scotland”.
However, on Wednesday, Sarwar and his MSPs instead voted to keep the act in place.
The SNP said that the act “significantly undermines devolution and enables a UK minister to open up Scotland's NHS to so-called ‘market access principles’”.
SNP MSP George Adam said: "In opposition the Labour Party wanted rid of this undemocratic power grab from Westminster, now that they are in power they have changed their minds.
“Anas Sarwar and his MSPs cannot be trusted to keep their promises on anything.
"The Westminster Internal Market Act leaves Scotland's NHS at risk of being opened up to the market by a future right-wing UK Government – that simply cannot be allowed to stand.
"The SNP has been opposed to this attack on Scottish devolution since day one and will continue to fight against it – but it is bitterly disappointing to see that Labour in Scotland has decided to allow their principles to be trampled on by their Westminster bosses yet again."
In total on Wednesday, 73 MSPs voted for Forbes's motion, which passed against 47 opposing votes and nine MSPs who did not take part.
In 2020, Sarwar was among the Scottish Labour MSPs to vote to refuse to give consent to the Internal Market Act.
The Tories passed it without consent from either the Scottish or Welsh parliaments.
The current UK Government has said it will review the act. It is expected to conclude later this year.
Scottish Labour were approached for comment.
